“Stop Being Worldly And Live By The Spirit!”

“Stop Being Worldly And Live By The Spirit!”
During my three score years of ministry – minus one – I have come to the realisation that Christians like making comparisons of the pastors who have ministered to them. Sometimes some Christians have all kinds of funny stories to tell you about your predecessors. When I hear such stories, I just say to myself, “This is the same way they will talk about me to my successor.s”
The tendency is that when a pastor moves on to another assignment, those who loved him will keep reporting to him what the new person is doing that contradicts his former works. Some colleagues too continue to have influnce over some of their former parishioners and this can make work difficult for the successor.
This is the type of situation that existed at Corinth. The Corinthian church was founded by Paul. When he moved on to other assignments, Apollos continued the work. Some Christians were not satisfied with Apollos and longed for Paul. Others were for Apollos. Some people – most probably those who were for Paul – wrote to him explaining the tension within the congregation as a result of personality cult. Inter alia this was Paul’s response:
“What, after all is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes all things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose…For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid the foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care”(I Cor.3:5-10).
Dear Christians, we are mere servants through whom you came to believe. And the Lord assigns to each his task. Our assignment is to bring you to Christ. We are not called to create personality cults around ourselves, because that will mean bringing you to ourselves and not to Christ.
By the grace that God gives us we do what we have to do. But that does not make us better than others. And none of us is irreplaceable! Stop the jealousy and quarreling among you because that is a sign of still being worldly. Grow up and behave as people who live by the Spirit.(I Cor.3:1-4).
To all of us who serve in one office or position today, “build with care!” Nobody can lay any other foundation except that which has already been laid – which is Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me to stop being worldly and live by the Spirit. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!